Dominion Authority.
Level 49.
By human standards in this world, each of them is a being that can rival the "supernatural realm".
Let alone twelve together, even just one would be enough to crush any human army.
For the Orc, however, these were natural disasters.
Higashino Makoto stared at the twelve angels, his black eyes devoid of any emotion.
"Orc in the city."
He said it calmly.
"Leave no one alive."
The twelve Dominion Authority bowed their heads simultaneously, as if in homage.
Then they turned around, spread their wings, and flew to every corner of the city.
White light weaves through the ruins.
With each flash of light, an Orc's life was reaped.
There were no screams, because the Orc didn't have time to scream.
There was no struggle, because the Orc were incapable of struggling.
They simply fell in the white light, one after another, in groups, like wheat being harvested by a sickle.
Higashino Makoto stood still, without moving.
He simply watched it all, watched the Orc die under the angel's sword, watched the remains be burned to ashes by the white flames, watched the destroyed city gradually quiet down in the light.
"Grown ups."
Kurumi's voice came from behind.
She didn't stay on the hill. She followed and stood three steps behind Higashino Makoto.
The black cat "Zafkiel" crouched at her feet, its golden eyes surveying its surroundings, its tail swaying gently.
I didn't mean --
"Your subordinate understands."
Kurumi interrupted him.
"But I have said that I will follow you wherever you go, sir."
Higashino Makoto was silent for a moment, without turning around.
Kurumi.
"Exist."
I feel quite unhappy.
Kurumi paused for a moment.
"What does 'sir' mean?"
I actually felt a pang of guilt just now.
Higashino Makoto's voice was very soft, so soft that it was almost blown away by the wind.
"If I hadn't gone to the Slane Theocracy, hadn't eaten the omelet, and hadn't listened to those merchants chatting in the tavern, would I have arrived here sooner? Would I have been able to save those people?"
Kurumi remained silent for a moment.
"Grown ups."
She spoke, her voice calm.
You are not a god. You can't save everyone.
"I know. So my guilt lasted for less than three seconds, and it completely disappeared after I destroyed the Orc army."
"Then why do you still say that?"
Higashino Makoto did not answer.
He simply stared ahead, at the still-burning ruins, at the remains scattered in pools of blood, at the Orc sealed away by the pillars of salt.
"Because..."
He paused.
"--I hate this feeling."
Kurumi didn't ask what "this feeling" was.
She simply walked over to Higashino Makoto and stood beside him.
The black cat "Zafkiel" crouched at their feet, its golden eyes gazing ahead, its tail swaying gently.
"Grown ups."
"Um."
Do you know what you look like right now?
"Like what?"
"Like a fool who's clearly very sad but pretends nothing's wrong."
Higashino Makoto was silent for a moment, then chuckled softly.
"... Kurumi."
"Exist."
"You really should learn the art of language, especially how to please your master."
"I don't need it, because that's how Higashino- sama designed it. And what he just said was 'an accurate diagnosis of the superior's psychological state.'"
Higashino Makoto shook his head and didn't reply.
He turned and walked deeper into the city.
"Let's go. See if anyone's still alive. Oh, and use magic to hide ourselves; they don't need to know who saved them."
"Yes, sir."
Kurumi lifted her skirt and followed.
The black cat "Zafkiel" trotted along beside the two of them, its tail held high.
Amidst the ruins, the twelve Dominion Authority continue their mission.
White light flickered in every corner of the city, each flicker signifying the death of an Orc.
The Orc sealed by the salt pillars stood silently in the ruins, their bodies gleaming white in the sunlight.
They were once predators.
They used to be butchers.
They used to be cannibals.
Right now, they are just the weak ones.
Grass and weeds harvested indiscriminately.
In the deepest part of the city, in front of a half-collapsed building, Higashino Makoto stopped.
There was a line of words engraved on the lintel of the building, the characters blurred by smoke, but he still recognized what it was.
"Saint Custe Church, may the Six Great Gods protect this city."
Higashino Makoto stared at the line of text and remained silent for a moment.
Then he pushed open the door and went inside.
The interior of the church was in a mess.
The benches were overturned, the statues were smashed, and the stained glass windows were broken, with fragments scattered on the ground, reflecting a dazzling light in the sunlight.
Before the altar, a woman curled up on the ground, holding a child in her arms.
She was covered in blood, her clothes were torn to shreds, revealing her scarred back.
Her hair was a tangled mess, obscuring her face. Her body was trembling, emitting faint, wounded animal-like whimpers.
The child in her arms.
It was about three or four years old, with its eyes closed, its face pale, but its chest was still rising and falling.
He's still alive.
Higashino Makoto walked up to her and squatted down.
"Light Wounds" activated.
Both of them recovered their health almost instantly.
"It's alright now."
His voice was very soft, so soft it sounded like he was soothing a frightened child.
You're safe now. No one will hurt you anymore.
The woman looked up at him with her bloodshot, fear-filled eyes—
A humanoid being enveloped in white light.
"You... you are..."
"I'm here to help."
Higashino Makoto reached out and gently patted her head.
"The angels are outside. The Orc are all dead. You are safe."
The woman's lips trembled; she seemed to want to say something, but ultimately said nothing.
She simply lowered her head, hugged her child tightly, and tears welled up in her eyes, silently streaming down her face.
Higashino Makoto stood up and turned around.
"Give her a piece of clothing. Then look for any other survivors."
"Yes, sir."
Kurumi stepped forward, took off her cloak, and draped it over the woman.
The black cat "Zafkiel" crouched on the altar, its golden eyes gazing at the sky outside the church.
In the sky, twelve Dominion Authority were still circling.
Their mission is not yet complete.
There are still many Orc in this city.
But Higashino Makoto knew it wouldn't take long.
Before dawn, there will be no more living Orc in this city.
And those humans who survived—
They will see the dawn.
Outside the church, Higashino Makoto stood on the steps, gazing at the eastern horizon.
The morning light is slowly brightening there, turning the edges of the clouds golden.
"Grown ups."
Kurumi's voice came from behind.
"How many survivors have been found?"
"Thirty have been found so far. There may be more."
"Keep searching."
"Yes, sir."
Kurumi turned and walked back to the church, her footsteps fading into the distance on the stone path.
Higashino Makoto stood alone on the steps, gazing at the skyline that was beginning to light up.
"The Wrath of the Salt King..."
He murmured the name of the Super-Tier Magic, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"I never imagined my first time using it would be in a place like this."
He paused.
"However... the results were quite good."
He turned around and walked back to the church.
Sunlight streamed in through the broken window, falling on the shattered statue, on the woman curled up on the ground holding her child, on Kurumi's black and white maid outfit, and on the golden eyes of the black cat "Zafkiel".
"Use it to clear away useless weeds."